Gujarat's Statue of Unity to cost a whopping Rs2,500 crore

The ambitious Statue of Unity, which would be the world’s tallest, is now estimated to cost Rs2,500 crore, as against the earlier estimates of Rs1,000 crore.

It was in October 2010 that chief minister Narendra Modi had announced construction of the 182-metre-tall statue of ‘Iron Man’ Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. The statue will be called Statue of Unity and it will be placed at Sadhu Bet, an island located 3 km from Sardar Sarovar dam. The statue would be nearly twice the iconic Statue of Liberty, which stands at 93 metre tall.

At a meeting of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel Rashtriya Ekta Trust in Gandhinagar on Thursday, Modi reviewed the status of the project.

He was informed that world class consultants would be roped-in for execution of the project.

According to officials, six important studies and surveys, viz. total station, variation in water level and high-flood level, wind & water velocity, seismic study, geological survey and model study-mathematical analysis, have already been concluded, while environmental impact assessment study for the memorial is going on.

The meeting was informed that the whole project, to be developed on public private partnership model, will cost around Rs2,500 crore. It will include the Statue of Unity, and also besides a bridge, a road connecting the memorial with Kevadia, convention centre, garden, amusement park, hotel, among others.

In a bid to develop both sides of Narmada river from Sardar Sarovar dam to Bharuch as a tourist destination, the work order for construction of Garudeshwar weir has already been given. In addition, steps will be taken for tourism facilities on the sea coast.

The Gujarat state government has made a provision of Rs100 crore for the Statue of Unity in the budget for 2012-13.